Union Pacific Coal Empties 3-31-24

I saw something unusual this afternoon. 

I decided to check if Union Pacific was running MPECL a third Sunday afternoon in a row. When I came down W. Farmington Road hill from the west, the gates were lowering! So I decided to head south to the old Molitor Junction area just south of Harman Highway to wait. My hoped for MPECL turned out to be a 133-car train of coal empties led by a single locomotive. 

I assume this was a trainset bound for storage. I know it crossed the river, possibly for interchange to the Illinois & Midland RR at Crescent/Powerton, or South Pekin to be taken south by another crew, or storage there temporarily. Wish I knew. 



CAPTION: An southbound empty Union Pacific coal train rolls by Milepost 80 at Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Sunday, March 31, 2024. UP 7375 has 133 cars. 

David P. Jordan

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